Gilbert Perry freshman Markus Howard could be finest player in any class in Arizona

Gilbert Perry guard Markus Howard is the best freshman basketball player in the state.

No, that’s not good enough.

He’s one of the best players in the state, regardless of class.

Still not enough.

He’s the heir to Arizona’s great guards of the past, players like Mike Bibby, Fat Lever, Jerryd Bayless and Jahii Carson.

Better.

“For a freshman you just don’t think he’s going to have it in him,” Perry coach Joseph Babinski said after Howard scored a game-high 25 points to lead Perry past Phoenix Sunnyslope 54-49 in the Division I boys basketball quarterfinals Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena. “He’s just special.”

It might seem ridiculous to label Howard as the state’s next great player. Some will make the argument that he isn’t even the best freshman. Instead they’ll argue for Phoenix St. Mary’s Marcus Shaver or Tempe Corona del Sol’s Alex Barcelo.

But to see the 5-foot-11, 155-pound Howard in person is to appreciate how good he already is and how great he’ll become. He already has the entire package offensively; he can get to the basket with either hand and knock down 3-point shots. He occasionally gets the wild hair — he air-balled a deep 3 in the fourth quarter Thursday — but he’s so precocious Babinski has given him the green light.

“I trust him,” Babinski said. “He’s going to shoot some bad ones but the good ones are going to do that. He looked over at me after that air ball and said, ‘My fault.’

“He’s got great talent but he’s also such a great competitor. Offensive end, defensive end, on the boards, he just competes. You have to love that.”

Here’s how Howard responded with the game on the line at the start of the fourth quarter: On Perry’s first possession he drove to the basket, was fouled and made both free throws to tie the game at 36. The next time down the floor he hit a pull-up 3-pointer to give Perry a 39-38 lead. Two possessions later, he got the assist on a 3-pointer by Coby de Laveaga. Finally, he hit a runner going left for a 49-47 Perry lead.

Oh, and he made three free throws in the last 37 seconds to clinch the win.

“My teammates believe in me and I can’t thank them enough for that,” Howard said. “Coming in as a freshman and being able to have the green light, I’m thankful for that.”

The biggest adjustment was made by Howard’s older brother, Jordan, who’s a senior. Jordan Howard averaged 25.6 points per game last year but he’s willingly sacrificed his touches so Markus can have the ball in his hands. That’s not easy for a senior, much less an older sibling.

“He’s the person I look up to the most and for him to be OK with what I do is a complete blessing,” Markus said. “He’s doing what it takes for us to win. That’s what makes him such a great player.”

Jordan still holds tight to his status when they play one-on-one, though.

“I beat him when we play,” he said with a smile. “But he’s getting there.

It would be a pleasure to watch Markus Howard grow and develop his game at Perry the next three years. But there’s a chance that may not happen. Findlay Prep in Las Vegas is going after him hard, and Markus said he hasn’t made up his mind what he’ll do after this season.

“I just want him to do whatever makes him happy,” Jordan said.

Let’s hope he can find that contentment at Perry. Markus already is an elite Division I recruit as a freshman. It would be a shame to see him chase a “higher level” of basketball at Findlay.

For now, however, there’s a state championship to chase. And a burgeoning legacy to build upon.

Reach Bordow at scott.bordow@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/sBordow

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